May 9, 2011 (Port Alberni, BC) – Number 6 in the Island Cup Series took place in Port Alberni on this Mother’s Day Sunday. It isn’t often you get to race here in dry conditions but today was definitely one of those days. An almost malicious 13km loop set up by Ozzies Cycle and Alberni Single Speeders awaited the riders today, experts doing 2.5 laps in total.

This course features a tonne of single-track, with not a lot of passing opportunities as well as some skinny log bridges and steep rock descents. This was a course not for the faint of heart but for the short of breath.

Right off the bat Craig Ritchey, Drew Mackenzie and Simon Tremblay dictated the pace. Mixed into this group was Mical Dyck (Pro City Racing) who decide to try and race the boys this morning. Half way through the first lap Ritchey had put a minute into Mackenzie, and a large gap was already opening to Tremblay in 3rd.

There was a lot of fast tight single-track for the guys to reel in Ritchey, but as the second lap took shape it was clear that a winter in Belgium didn’t tire out Craig. Half way through the second lap his lead had grown to approximately 7 minutes on Mackenzie with Tremblay way back in 3rd.

Dyck, who was just between Mackenzie and Tremblay, had opened up about a 10-minute gap to Karen Truman and Joele Guynup another 4-mins back. The last half lap had Ritchey flex his muscles even more and fully ride away from the rest of the pack finishing about 10 minutes ahead of an exhausted Drew Mackenzie, who admittedly went out a little hard to stay on the wheel of Ritchey.

In 3rd place was Victoria local rider, Craig Gillette, who managed a super last lap to overtake Martin Vale, who had the race of the day as he missed his start by about 7 minutes and still managed an amazing 4th place.

In the woman’s race Dyck ran away with it after a great start (finished 3rd overall) separated her from the rest of the ladies. Karen Truman had a strong race for second with Joelle Guynup rounding out the podium.

Expert Men:

1. Craig Ritchey (Cyclocross World/Blue)
2. Drew Mackenzie (Island Racing Club)
3. Craig Gillette

Expert Women :

1. Mical Dyck (Pro City Racing)
2. Karen Truman (Oak Bay Bikes)
3. Joelle Guynup (Island Racing Club)

More pictures will be up soon here.